What Are Beginner’s Some Tips For Painting With Acrylics?
We have a great staff of talented artists who walk you though the painting when you sign up for one of our classes, giving you tips and encouraging you the whole time! These are some of the same wonderful people who can be credited with the thousands of beautiful paintings that we have in our Pinot’s Palette library. Artists from all of our studios, Nation-Wide, are constantly creating new paintings for our customers to try out so we always have new artwork to offer and something for everyone!
If you’ve ever been to one of our classes then you know that we walk you through the painting, step-by-step, instructing you of everything, the whole way! We help you to mix colors, shade, form shapes, create texture, add dimension, and more! We enjoy teaching others how to work with acrylic paint (our weapon of choice) and it’s always great to see the progress that's made from the first step to the last. SO MANY of our first-time customers, come into the class, sure that they won't be able to paint but leave the class with their lovely painting, in hand, impressed that they actually COULD paint, after all! It's really something amazing to see, so remember that if you're a first-time painter, have no fear.... that's what we're here for! (*Also, the majority of our customers have never painted before, so you're in good company).
We’d like to offer a few tips for painting with acrylics to help you out when you come in for your next class OR even if you’re trying our some artistic efforts at home. If you've already attended a few of our classes, you’ve likely heard about most of these helpful hints! Just taking ONE class, you’re sure to learn a bunch of ways to use acrylic paints as you work with them during the 2-3 hour session. Acrylic paints are one of the easiest types to use as they’re inexpensive, come in a large variety of colors, they dry quickly, and can be manipulated in several ways to help you create the look you want!
Here are just a few, basic and helpful hints to assist you in your artistic endeavors:
---COLOR MIXING---
Many artists say it’s not ok to use paint, directly out of the bottle… they say a good rule of thumb is to always mix it with another color (even just a touch) to adjust it to a richer-looking, complex color.
However, we say that beginners can feel free to keep to the colors they buy from the store, especially when you walk into a craft store and see ALL of those colors to choose from! If you’re working on something that and are worried about making a mistake or running out of your mixed color and having to try to match the next mix to it’s exactness, then using those color straight out of the bottle is perfect! You can always touch things up or add another layer of that exact same color without the hassle of re-mixing it to it’s exact, prior likeness!
*Tips:
-You likely remember the basic color combinations you learned back in grade school like yellow+blue= green; yellow+red=orange, and red+blue=violet. That’s a great place to start when you begin to play around with creating new colors. Remember that white will lighten anything it’s added to and a tiny touch of black will make any color into a beautiful shadowy shade of that color. Try color combinations of 2-3 colors together to make some lovely mixes and always rely on the help of a trusty COLOR WHEEL to assist you in knowing which colors work best, together. The ones that are next to one another on the wheel will always play well together whereas the ones, opposite of one another on the wheel, will typically turn into a brownish shade.
Color Wheel:
https://www....s=color+wheel
Acrylic color-mixing, made easy:
https://www....ade-easy/4990
-We encourage you to having fun mixing colors and experimenting with different combinations! Remember that acrylics dry quickly and won’t last for long after they’re mixed. If you need to store your mixed concoctions for another time, you can use air-tight containers! There are dozens of great options to choose from, and you can look on Dick Blick or Amazon to compare prices and reviews!
*Here are some good ones to try:
https://www....s=arts-crafts
---TEXTURE---
Any work of art can benefit from the addition of texture. It’s a great way to make something look more natural and realistic (like trees), or to make something look more dimensional and rich (like a modern-style work of art).
*Tips:
-When you apply straight-out-of-the-tube paint to a canvas using a dry brush, you'll create a strong stroke of color on the page. Your lines will be uneven (since there's no water to soften the edges), but this can give you a purposeful painterly effect. If you want a rich, bold and thickness to your painting then use the paints right out of the tube and don’t add water to it as you’re going along. This will use more of your paint, faster, but will give you a really beautiful end result!
-Another option for creating a thick, rough texture, without the higher price tag of going through a lot of paint tubes is to get some gesso (white is the cheapest) and apply it with a palette knife or other hard object so it will stand on top of the canvas in the shape you want. Use it to add a general, even layer of thickness, or apply it only in certain spots where you want that thick, rough look. Let it dry for 24 hours before adding your paint on top of it (especially if it’s super thick). Voila! You’ve got the look of a painting, full of thick and luxurious acrylic at a lower cost!
*Buy some gesso:
https://www....aAvQiEALw_wcB
(*Be sure to read on as we talk about ‘Interesting Techniques’, below, as there are more ways to create the look of texture in that list as well!
---INTERESTING TECHNIQUES---
There are endless ways to do fun and interesting things to your painting to make it look and feel different than your other ones. Have fun trying out some of these beginner-friendly ways to as some creative pizzaz to your painting!
*Tips for adding texture:
(1)Stippling great for text like leaves or sand
You’ll take a stiff-bristled brush and “tap” the tips of the bristles into some paint. Use the end of those paint-covered bristles as a “stamp” where you can like "tap, tap tap”
(2)Splattering
*Think: Jackson Pollock! (But not quite as intense and messy). You can load up a brush with some slightly watered-down paint and then fling it at the canvas to achieve thick and heavy splatters.
For a more controlled and smaller (speckled) look, use your finger to pull back the paint-loaded brush and release not the canvas… repeat as many times as needed (*A tooth brush works GREAT for this, too!)
(3)Dabbing
Grab a spong or crumpled-up paper towel (or newspaper, etc) and use it like a stamp for some rough and interesting texture!
(4) Stamping or using a stencil
You can add perfectly-applied and symmetrically-designed (store-bought) stamps or stencils to add a whole lot of beauty and detail into your painting! Use them as a background pattern and design your painting over top of it so you have something clean and perfect, paired with your naturally-made artwork on top!
---USING WATER---
Water is your friend when it comes to manipulating acrylic paints in various, helpful ways.
*Tips:
-A “wash” is when you water down paint to make it thinner more like a watercolor effect. You can also layer color over one another with this technique and get a whole new shade!
-If you water your paint down enough, acrylic acts a bit like watercolor! You can use the diluted paint to apply translucent washes on your surface. But unlike watercolor, the acrylic paint will set permanently. Try mixing the wash and dry brush method, where you just apply the paint, without water — you'll end up with plenty of textures in a single piece.
-If you’re trying to make your paints last longer, then water is a great way to do so. Whether you want to get as much out of your bottle of paint as possible or you need your custom-mixed color to go a little father without having to re-mix it, water will get you there. As you add the color to your canvas, straight from the bottle or pile of mixed paint, you can dip your bristles into the water and apply it directly to the canvas in the area that you’re painting so it re-wets the paint and makes it thinned out and last longer, covering a larger section!
-Always keep water on hand, as acrylics dry out quickly, not only on your palette but in your brush. Clean your brush in between colors or just keep the paint-filled brushes in the water until you’re ready to clean it for the day.
-Remember that acrylics DO dry up, quickly, the longer they’re exposed to the air. You can re-moisturize your pile of paint by adding a few drops of water to it and stirring it around to loosen the paint.
---MAKING CLOUDS---
One of the most intimidating things for first-timer painters to create are clouds. They look so difficult but they’re actually one of the easiest and most-fun things to create!
*Tips:
-Start with your base color (usually a white, grey-is white, or warm white like a cream) and stipple (or stamp) the cloud’s shape in place. Use you finger to blend the cloud in a circular motion to assist in making the shape light and fluffy like a real cloud!
-If you’re looking to make your clouds colorful like those in a sunset or sunrise, add in some light touches of color after you have you base color and shape on your canvas.
-When making clouds, try to relax and DO NOT worry about making them all look the same. No two clouds are EVER the exact same, so for all of you perfectionists out there: don’t work to make them match! Adding in various shapes and sizes will make them look more natural so just let them be their own.
-The best cloud shapes for beginners to try are ones that are flat on the bottom, thin on the sides (at the tips or ends of the cloud) and fluffy on the top/middle of the shape!
*Here is a GREAT video to watch for making clouds:
https://www....v=ZyHjGwyNdMo
---CLEAN UP---
Sure, painting is fun, but can come with quite the mess at the end of your masterpiece! When you attend a class in our studio, we’ll provide you with an apron to keep your clothing clean. You also don’t have to worry about being too tidy or careful at our place because we’re dedicated to painting classes and the messes that come along with them, everyday!
Acrylic paint, although beneficial in a myriad of ways, is one of the trickiest substances to clean off of clothing, furniture, and rugs.
We’ve got the clean up at the end of your session, but what about when you paint at home?
*Here's a great way to remove acrylic paints from your clothing, and this tried and true method, works a lot of the time:
https://www....sesnaperville
Have fun trying out some of these techniques at home or the next time you’re in class! Remember that it’s ok to make mistakes, as that means your trying and you might surprise yourself with what your discover while painting. Experiment with different things, watch YouTube videos, read helpful hints, online, and be sure to ask your instructor questions the next time you come in!
We hope to see you soon for a class at our studio if you’re looking for something fun to do in or around the Naperville area! We’re a great spot to visit for everything from a fun and unique date night, an awesome girls’ night out experience, and we even offer private events! When you view our classes on our website, you’ll be viewing our schedule for our public classes, but you can also book a painting party with the guest list of your choice! Come in to celebrate a birthday, bridal shower, reunion, retirement, and more with friends and family, sharing their artistic sides, together. Make memories that will last a lifetime with a souvenir to treasure forever with one our classes.
*Learn more about our private parties, here:
https://www....ivate-parties
We also play host to tons of corporate events, too! Why not book your next work party or team building event with us? We offer several styles of paintings that incorporate team building strategies, encouraging the whole office to work together, creating a stunning world of art!
*Read more about corporate events, here:
https://www....porate-events